Mini Rant: Is Madiran internationalizing?

If you see a wine described as having been made softer by "modern technology" (whatever that means), would it raise any alarm bells? I was browsing through Vintages' upcoming June 9th release and saw this Madiran. Now, I normally buy Madiran because up to now, the wines seem to have been quite reliably untouched by internationalization ... but could this be changing? And what kind of technology do you suppose they mean here - micro-oxygenation, perhaps? (Also something I note: the wine is listed as 'D' for 'dry' as opposed to the usual 'XD' or 'extra-dry' that virtually all classic red wines bear, indicating some telltale r.s.).

MADIRAN 1907 2004
AC (Cave de Crouseilles)

Madiran is an appellation just south of Bordeaux. Unlike its more famous neighbour, winemakers use the grape Tannat in the majority of their blends (with the Cabernets and Fer in support roles). Traditionally the wines required many years of cellaring, but modern technology has allowed winemakers to extract maximum flavours from the grapes without the harsh tannins. Black in colour with deep blackberries and a touch of tar on the palete [sic], this Madiran is an excellent choice for matching with a spit-roasted leg of lamb.
30890 (D) 750 mL $18.95

Just as an aside, I can't recally any Madirans that I've bought at Vintages up to now ever having been so tough and tannic or closed that they were unpleasant to drink. Madiran is what I think of as a naturally "less exuberant" sort of red; a structured, meaty/sinewy wine that is nevertheless enjoyable as such - with a good steak or other appropriate food. I can't see how internationalizing the wine will do anything other than produce examples that will just fall apart after a couple of years.

Paul, I'm not sure that you have anything to be worried about. My understanding is that micro-oxygenation was pioneered in Madiran specifically to deal with the ferocious tannins of Tannat. So it's likely that many of the Madirans you've had (certainly the ones from Alain Brumont) have had micro-oxygenation.
cheers, Bonnie

The technique of "micro-oxygénation" was pioneered by a Madiran grower, Patrick Ducournau of la Chapelle Lenclos.

Thanks - that is all news to me. However, maybe it shouldn't be so alarming, since I did notice that the Madirans I've had to-date have never truly been as fiercely tannic as the ubiquitous descriptions of the grape seem to imply. In fact, I've found the wines uniformly accessible in their youth - and now I probably know why!

I don't think I'd buy wine from someone who can't spell 'palate.'

I don't think I'd buy wine from someone who can't spell 'palate.'

Old French word, palete, means small potter's shovel. Maybe they were digging for a description?

I don't think I'd buy wine from someone who can't spell 'palate.'

Unfortunately, it's our fine-wine government monopoly here in Ontario, so they're the only game in town!

Most of the time I don't have a problem with their selections, save perhaps a tendency to be on the popularity bandwagon quite a bit - they rely on big-critic scores and such, and I've not been "wowed" by some of their "WOW" shelf talkers selected by individual store managers (most notably, an Austrian Merlot from '03 that I found searingly alcoholic and simultaneously thin and jammy, but otherwise not very interesting).

I don't think I'd buy wine from someone who can't spell 'palate.'

I have to say this drives me crazy. Every time I see palette,pallette or pallet (unless its an ITBer talking about 50 or so cases) I just want to scream.